Mexico weekly ledger., 1887-09-22
PITHY POINTS.
From the Great Reunion Speech
of General Breckenridge.

From the Great Reunion Speech
of General Breckenridge.
The following is taken from notes
made by a gentleman who heard Gen.
Breckinridge's great speech of the
14th:
General Breckenridge vas intro
duced By Col. Claiborne a u of
Americas truest and best men and
en- orator without a peer. The Gen.
eral began by disclaiming any power
of rhetorical establishment, but this
statement was not confirmed by his
speech. The speaker said he had
come here with nc thought for his
W reputation, but had come to
speak in serious tones, of our coun-
try's past, present and future. He
felt at home in Missouri and in Au-
drain county, and would speak as if
in his own city. He next eulogized
the Southern people by saying: "No
other people ever manifested such a
spirit of forgiveness and plaeidity,
which traits are the highest virtues
of craftsmanship. This spirit is not
the outgrowth of forgetfulness Of
our dead; for their graves are as
dear now as when made" As q rep
resentative of the ex-Confederates, he
said: ave are not ashamed of our
record; we have no apologies to
make n the presence of our God,
our countrymen and ~ children ;
none at the bar of country OR of
history. We did our best and have
but M regret-that we were not
able to do mora" loud applause.
'sThe past is indeed, in one sense,
forever gone; but its influences are
permanent and immortal. Dat of
the experiences, the lessons of that
terrible conflict we are to evolve a
brighter and nobler future" 1.-THE
result was not luck but the fulfill
ment of one eternal plan. Every age
has its lost ; and each genera
ton must solve Its own problems.
The war settled forever the question
as to the right of secession; but the
problem of the diverse races has
never been settled. 'sNone of US
want slavery back again. Our duty
to the negro is to educate him. Like
a parasite, he has fixed himself upon
us and we must elevate him or he
will drag us down." Another prob
lem, which he said demanded the at
tention of every statesman, is 'sThe
need OF a liberty which would give
us, as individuals, q potential power
In our government. The cause of
secession, was not the election of
Abraham Lincoln or of Republican;
but that a President could be elected
without q count of the vote of twen-
ty States" "A third problem
which the orator wished some wise
head would solve, sis the peaceful
adjustment of differences between a
weaker and a stronger section-the
discovery of some means whereby a
minority section can successfully and
peacefully resist the encroachments
OF the majority upon its rights"
Addressing the young men he said:
s'The object of my coming here is to
impress upon the young men of Mis-
souri, two lessons, viz: To live no.
bly, as men in the sight OF God, and
to live wisely as citizens" By way
OF consolation for the youth, who re-
gret that they did not live in the
chivalrous days of Morgan and Shell
by, he declared: 1.-THE future is al
ways better than the present OF
past. l rejoice to have seen
Lee prove to the world that Geo.
Washington was not the best Vir-
ginia has Produced loud and
continued applause.
In his concluding remarks, the
General paid a most beautiful and
touching tribute to the Confederate
dead and besought his audience to go
home with thoughts of that long,
glorious procession and to rededi-
cate themselves to the duties in the
discharge OF which those noble
"